Head of Continuous Improvement Jobs
There is no such thing as the perfect business. Every hour, inefficiencies and bad practice are going on without the owners’ knowledge, or the owners know they exist but are powerless to act. This is where the head of continuous improvement comes in. It is an analytical role that constantly audits every business process and looks for inefficiencies that can be ironed out. Depending on the size of the company, this can be a one-person job, heading up a small team or employing dozens of auditors to make the business better.
But it’s not just about the money – not directly, anyway. Often, an improvement is simply one that helps staff with their work and removes those irritations and bureaucracy that reduces job satisfaction. Sometimes it’s an environmental improvement that doesn’t have obvious financial implications but can have longer-term benefits. Improvement takes many forms, and once the head of continuous improvement has got under the skin of the company and found out exactly how it operates, it’s inevitable that the financial benefits will follow.
The skills required
The job of head of continuous improvement has two main strands – analyzing the financial matters and seeking out other procedural activities that can be improved. You will need to be prepared to get your hands dirty (sometime literally) by delving into the business, talking to employees, observing and measuring the way people work and researching alternative methodologies that can create efficiencies.
The head of continuous improvement may sometimes need to make unpopular decisions, for example choosing to outsource elements of the business or making it less top-heavy if inefficiencies are identified. While the final decision will be made by the board, you must have the confidence in your convictions to make such recommendations. Of course, the opposite is also true, and your recommendations could lead to the growth of the company. As long as you have performed detailed analyses, you will be able to present accurate projections to the board.
Head of Continuous Improvement Jobs in the North East
Covering Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Teeside and County Durham, the North East includes the cities of Durham, Sunderland and Newcastle upon Tyne, as well as other communities like Gateshead, Middlesbrough and Darlington.
In the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, the area's economy mainly relied on shipbuilding, heavy industry, coal mining and manufacturing. However, most of these faced significant decline after the second world war.
The region's economy is now mainly based in the service sector, and it is also known for its retail, art and culture. A number of tech companies are located in the North East, as well as businesses based in the petrochemical and steel industries.
What's more, the region is home to a significant amount of scientific research, particularly at the Centre for Life. This facility in Newcastle includes exhibition space for tourists, as well as a number of working laboratories that are used by biotechnology companies and medical clinics.
For those seeking Head of Continuous Improvement roles, just some of the companies that have headquarters or manufacturing facilities in the North East include Santander, Sage Group, Virgin Money, Tetley Tea, McCoy's Crisps, Greggs the Bakers, Nestle and Coca Cola.
In addition, there's BAE Systems, which manufactures military tanks, while Siemens produces steam turbines and Nissan operates the largest car factory in the UK.
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Find Head of Continuous Improvement Jobs with Cast UK
Most businesses realise that they are sitting on inefficiencies and bad practice, but the best businesses do something proactive about it, and it’s these forward-looking businesses who come to Cast UK to help them find a head of continuous improvement. Because it falls under one of our specialisms, change and transformation, we can usually supply them with a shortlist of candidates in double quick time.
We only deal with recruitment of managerial and executive level candidates, so if you have the qualifications and the experience to become a head of continuous improvement for one of the UK’s top companies, call Cast UK today on 0333 121 3345.
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